Gulf tourism ministers started their meeting in Kuwait and reviewed a number of achievements
Awad Manea Al -Qahtani – Kuwait:
Excellencies held the ministers of tourism in the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and in the presence of His Excellency the Secretary -General of the Cooperation Council, their ninth meeting in the State of Kuwait yesterday.
During the meeting, a number of achievements that were achieved in the GCC countries were reviewed in the tourism and sports field, and the ministers also discussed multiple aspects of joint work and the development of some regulations.
At the beginning of the opening session, His Excellency the Minister of Information and Culture, Abdul Rahman Al -Mutairi, delivered a speech in which he welcomed the ministers and the participating delegations, where he said:
Our meeting today reflects our firm belief in the importance of coordinating efforts and unifying visions to enhance the tourism sector, especially in light of the global variables and the challenges facing this vital sector, as tourism is no longer just an economic activity, but rather has become a basic pillar in sustainable development, and a bridge to communicate between cultures and enhance the rapprochement between peoples Tourism has also become an effective tool to support the economy and diversify the sources of income, which makes investing in this sector an urgent necessity.
With the development of digital technologies and changes in the preferences of travelers, it became necessary to develop innovative tourism experiences that enhance the competitiveness of the sector and make it more attractive to tourists,
He pointed out that our Gulf countries have rich and varied tourism components, which combine the original heritage and the ancient cultural heritage, along with the unique natural environment and advanced infrastructure. He said: We are required today to develop unified policies and strategies that enhance Gulf tourism cooperation and achieve the maximum benefit from the available capabilities. Joint planning and integrated promotion of Gulf destinations as one tourism system will contribute to enhancing the Gulf position on the global tourism map.
Then the Secretary -General of the Cooperation Council delivered a speech during which he expressed his pride in the outstanding achievements of the Gulf states that enhance their position on the international scene, and said: The tourism sector in the Cooperation Council countries is witnessing a qualitative shift, thanks to the high directives of the owners of Majesty and the Highness – the leaders of the GCC states – their preservation God and her sponsors – and today we are picking their fruits. Tourism statistics indicate numbers and facts that send us the children of the Cooperation Council with pride and happiness. Allow me the holders of His Excellency and Happiness to quickly review these numbers, and as follows:-
1. The total number of international tourists coming to the GCC countries reached 68.1 million until 2023, with a growth rate of 42.8 % compared to 2019, achieving 52.9 % of our Gulf targets for the year 2030.
2. The value of the revenues from tourism amounted to 110.4 billion dollars for the year 2023 AD, at a growth rate of 28.2 % compared to 2019, so that the GCC countries recorded qualitative leaps that exceeded all expectations, by achieving 58.7 % of the 2030 target of 188 billion dollars.
3. The market share of the Gulf states reached 5.2 % of global tourism, and 7.2 % of international tourism revenues, which establishes its position as a major axis in the global tourism scene, and at the value of the added value of the local product.
4. The tourism sector achieved a prominent economic contribution of 223.4 billion dollars in the GDP, with a remarkable annual growth rate of 29.4 % between 2022 and 2023.
5. Finally, the tourism sector added 1.5 million jobs during the year 2023, at a growth rate of 17 % compared to 2020.
The Secretary -General of the Council affirmed that these numbers are not only mere statistics, but are the story of the success of the neck of the people of the Gulf, and it was founded on wise visions and ambitious strategies.
